Ms Collins birthday bash marking eight years as the city’s most popular celebrity party haunt
The Manchester United soccer team, Boy George, Nelly, Kevin Hart, Usain Bolt and Jack Harlow have all headed to this venue, which is marking its eighth birthday.
Fiona Byrne
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If those walls could talk, what stories they could tell as Melbourne after dark institution Ms Collins, which has played host to the likes of Boy George, Nelly, Kevin Hart, Usain Bolt and Jack Harlow, marks eight years as the city’s most popular celebrity party haunt.
The glamorous bar/club located in a heritage building in Collins Street in the CBD is the vision of a group of hospitality industry stalwarts including Tony Perna, Bobby Love, Nick Vas, Hatem Saleh, Kenneth Ngov, Justin Davis, Dean Vas and Aaron Bleas.
Last week US rapper Jack Harlow did a surprise three song set at the venue after his Forum Melbourne show and recently the Manchester United soccer team relaxed there during their Australian visit.
“Jason Derulo managed to lock himself in a staff toilet and missed his performance (at the venue) by an hour because he was on the phone to his then girlfriend Jordin Sparks,” recalled part-owner Tony Perna on the eve of the venue’s birthday bash.
“Usain Bolt when he was in Australia for three months he booked a booth every Friday night. It had to be a particular exclusive booth and it had to be the same one every week.”
Superstar singer The Weeknd emptied the club – literally – when he visited during his Australia tour several years ago.
Four seven seater black Mercedes-Benz vans pulled up at the front door around 2am and dozens of Ms Collins most glamorous revellers jumped on board the convoy to an after-after-party.
Steve Aoki had Ms Collins patrons lining up for him to throw cake in their face during one of his infamous DJ sets while US actor and comedian Kevin Hart had management change the Ms Collins Thursday night music policy from Latino to RnB at his request.
Japanese F1 star Yuki Tsunoda rocked up unannounced with a mate after this year’s Australian Grand Prix.
“He wanted no preferential treatment,” Perna said.
“He was just a cool, well-dressed guy who just walked in and partied the night away with other patrons. He wanted to relax and have a good time.”
One of the keys to the success of Ms Collins is its size and diverse spaces which consist of seven bars and twelve private rooms.
“We stay stylish, we stay relevant and we keep the venue fresh,” Perna said.
“We want people to have an amazing experience and it is all about the different senses they are feeling, anything from an amazing cocktail to coming in and listening to some of the best tunes in Melbourne.
“We seem to have an intersection of everything at Ms Collins, there is something for everybody at this venue.”
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